Most embarrassing work moment?

katie4253 · March 2012

I totally fell today. Face first, landed on my elbows, things went flying (but I didn't spill my coffee!).

This was probably my most embarrassing work moment ever. Made worse by the fact that I have to file incident reports in both the school I am imbedded in and with the company I work for.

Bruised ego for sure...

What's your most embarrassing work moment?

LALASEPT05 · March 2012

I used to work for a small company of about 50 people that did company wide meetings every monday morning. The office was small and the room was basically standing room only. I was standing there for most of the meeting, but all of a sudden, got light headed, and passed out in the middle of the meeting in front of the entire firm! I woke up to have my boss holding my legs in the air and our HR director trying to put ice on me. They had to call the ambulance and I had to go out on a stretcher. I was fine...just totally embarrassed!

alli2672 · March 2012

My most embarassing work moment was when I was a first year med student. I signed up for a volunteer thing to talk to elementary kids about nutrition. Now, I am no expert. I just thought it would be fun. They gave me a packet of information on what to talk about. I spent about 20 minutes looking over it, and drove to the school, expecting to talk to a classroom of third graders.

Well, I get there, and the entire school, K-8, is gathered in the auditorium. The principal said a few words introducing me, gave me a microphone, and told me I had an hour. I was 21 years old, and very anxious and shy. I couldn't figure out wich was worse, admitting to the principal that I had almost nothing prepared, or making up something to talk about to 500 kids. In the end, my indecision made up my mind for me, and I was left there with the microphone and my little packet of information. I think I talked for about 20 minutes before the principal caught on to the fact that I was 1) unprepared, and 2) a horrible public speaker, and he stopped me.

My cheeks still burn thinking about it

NicoleD0516 · March 2012

This was about five years ago. I needed to change clothes in the work bathroom as I had something going on after work. I went to change underwear but couldn't find my thong, it was skin color. I thought NOTHING of it. I leave the bathroom and go back to my office. Later that day everyone was talking about how the head of our legal department found a thong on the floor in the hallway. Everyone was trying to figure out whose it was. I played stupid the entire time. It was a mystery for days and something everyone talked/joked about the rest of that week. I'm shocked my red face didn't give me away.

MirandaHobbes · March 2012

alli2672:

My most embarassing work moment was when I was a first year med student. I signed up for a volunteer thing to talk to elementary kids about nutrition. Now, I am no expert. I just thought it would be fun. They gave me a packet of information on what to talk about. I spent about 20 minutes looking over it, and drove to the school, expecting to talk to a classroom of third graders.

Well, I get there, and the entire school, K-8, is gathered in the auditorium. The principal said a few words introducing me, gave me a microphone, and told me I had an hour. I was 21 years old, and very anxious and shy. I couldn't figure out wich was worse, admitting to the principal that I had almost nothing prepared, or making up something to talk about to 500 kids. In the end, my indecision made up my mind for me, and I was left there with the microphone and my little packet of information. I think I talked for about 20 minutes before the principal caught on to the fact that I was 1) unprepared, and 2) a horrible public speaker, and he stopped me.

My cheeks still burn thinking about it

That is awesome!!! Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Jerry had to give a 2 hour presentation to a school and had no new material.

I have a feeling my most embarrasing moment is yet to come.. I'm always worried about emailing something inappropriate to the whole office accidentally. I was once pumping in my office (with the door locked thank god) and a guy didn't get the hint and banged on my door and tried to open it. That was an "almost" most embarrasing moment ever! And the time another guy wouldn't stop yakking at me when it was time for me to pump and when he finally left I looked down and had big wet rings on my white blouse. Sexy.

juliettodd · March 2012

I just had one of these. I was speaking to a client on the phone the other day and looking something up on my computer at the same time. My brain went on auto pilot and as I was saying goodbye I made kissing noises and said "I love you" like I do when talking to DH, my kids and my parents! I about died when I realized what I just did. Thank goodness I have good relationship with the guy who just laughed his butt off when I called back to apologize. Totally unprofessional

lol.

Ms5586 · March 2012

I was on a field trip with my (very small group) of 3 students with the rest of the grade. I realized that after we left the theatre, I had forgotten my purse. One of the other teachers watched my students, and I ran back to find it (about 1/2 mile - it was a long walk). When I came back, there were so many different busses I couldn't find ours, and didn't have any of the other teacher's phone numbers. It took me about 10 minutes, and everyone was waiting on me. Humiliating, and I learned my lesson lol.

futuremrsmcnichols · March 2012

I was walked in on while pumping at work. I stayed after my shift ended and knew I couldn't make it til I got home. It was like 3am and I was using a conference room that is almost never occupied. I guess the security officer saw the light was on and heard a funny noise because he unlocked the door with his master key and walked in on me. I screamed and he quickly closed the door. To make things worse, it was the really weird guy who always tries to hand out candy to people and we joke around because he always pulls a handfull out of his pocket, like a pedophile or something.

racampbell1 · March 2012

For me it would have to be at my year end review for 2011. Six months pregnant and my boss decided that it was a good time to question my commitment to my profession and the firm (after I had exceeded my billable hour budget for the year, stayed late and worked weekends multiple times and had to scramble to arrange child care to cover all of those instances). I was so shocked (and lets be fair, hormonal) that when I tried to respond coherently to defend myself, I burst into tears instead. NOT my best moment. Ugggghhh.....

Pookster1020 · March 2012

Oh really I have so many i'll just list a few. I'm pretty good at embarassing myself.

Split my pants wearing polka dot underwear and had
The front split on my skirt ripped on my way to work one morning. By the time i got to my office it was crotch level - I had to stop and buy a needle and thread at Duane Read. The construction workers at the site next to my building got quite the show.
Unexpectedly got my period and bleed through my pants - that was fun. I had to go buy new underwear and pants because I could not go home.

Embarrassed

LacieMI · March 2012

These are awesome - great laughs!

Mine: I was speaking on the phone to a colleague of a different company, whom I had just met the day before. He was attractive, I was single and definitely had a crush going on. While we were on the phone, we agreed I would email him about something. He gives me his email address by saying "It's BradJohnson@(company name)" I couldn't tell if his last name was Johnson or Johnston, so I ask back "is there a 'T' in your Johnson?" And then I started nervous giggling, and couldn't stop... soon progressed to full on laughing for way too many seconds. Made even more awkward by the fact that he wasn't laughing, so we couldn't just laugh it off. The phone call ended, and I was left mortified!

mplesset23 · March 2012

LacieMI:

These are awesome - great laughs!

Mine: I was speaking on the phone to a colleague of a different company, whom I had just met the day before. He was attractive, I was single and definitely had a crush going on. While we were on the phone, we agreed I would email him about something. He gives me his email address by saying "It's BradJohnson@(company name)" I couldn't tell if his last name was Johnson or Johnston, so I ask back "is there a 'T' in your Johnson?" And then I started nervous giggling, and couldn't stop... soon progressed to full on laughing for way too many seconds. Made even more awkward by the fact that he wasn't laughing, so we couldn't just laugh it off. The phone call ended, and I was left mortified!

Hysterical! I was sitting here laughing out loud.

Ecy · March 2012

It was my first year teaching and I was having my first ever formal observation by our pretty straight-laced principal.

We were having to use this pre-written curriculum planner that was really stupid but it was the first year the school was trying it out and we had to use it. I was introducing a novel and for some reason, this stupid curriculum planner wanted me to discuss the story of Cinderella and read a bit of the story to introduce the novel. This is to 11th graders mind you!!!

Either way, I had to do it. I had all my lesson plan together and was ready for the principal to come into my room during 1st period. Then I remembered the stupid Cinderella story. I had forgotten to print it out. I had to rush and get one together. So, I went on to the curriculum planner's website and pulled one off and printed it out and barely made it to class in time for him to walk in.

About 20 min. into class, we started reading the Cinderella story. I noticed a few kids chuckling so I started reading ahead but it was too late! Somehow, a parody of Cinderella had made it onto the site by mistake and of course, that would be the one I printed it out.

The kids are reading (mostly 11th grade boys) and I hear them talking about Cinderella's step-sisters and how they don't call her Cinderella but rather call her Cinderwhore! She doesn't lose a glass slipper, she loses her diaphragm!!! The king & queen discuss sex and herpes and all kinds of other crap. After letting the initial shock of it wear off, I frantically started picking up the story.

I was mortified!!! And the questions started...Ms. P - "What's a diaphragm?" I give the side eye and the don't mess with me look and get back..."That's ok, I'll just ask my mom." Oh, those kids thought this was hilarious!!! I thought I was going to lose my job. Thankfully the principal had a sense of humor about it.

KreyolKatt · March 2012

So I thought I was coming over to the Working Moms board to get some insight as to what was in store for me in the next couple months, boy was I wrong. You ladies are hilarious. Funniest stories I've read in weeks. I am laughing so hard ( over my dinner of chicken nuggets dipped in apple sauce.) Thanks for the laughs. I'm a pregnant 4th year medical student, super stressed, getting the side eye from a lot of people but you guys brightened my day. Thanks!!!!!!!

USA Kiwi · March 2012

Let's see. Was it the time when I was 5 months pregnant (and not showing - so not everyone knew) and my balance was off... and I fell over in the office, twisting my ankle and crying because I was so worried about the baby?

Or the time the security guard walked in on me pumping as he gave a tour to new employees? LMAO

Or was it the time I forgot breast pads, and wore a white shirt.... and didn't realize this fact until much much later in the day?

hehe.

I have to laugh at myself. May as well!

vedwards · March 2012

I'm sure there's one worse than this, but this one came to mind first:

Every semester, I direct a fundraiser for the college where I work. One semester I had more student workers than I had tables so one guy had to sit at the main table with me to make his calls. I don't know how we got on to the subject of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but since he and I were at the same table we talked a lot, and I said something about how I didn't like peanut butter, but I used to eat butter and jelly sandwiches when I was little. I said something to the effect of how I didn't like the "P" I just like the "BJ." I caught what I said and realized how it must've sounded and was I was initially so embarassed but he and I laughed so hard. Of course we distracted the whole room and people wanted to know what was so funny. I never told.

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